Applications Open for 2027 Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy
The third Southern Arizona cohort will bring together up to 24 workforce leaders for a yearlong fellowship focused on regional strategies and economic opportunity.Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA), Pima Community College, and the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program are accepting applications for the 2027 Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy. The yearlong fellowship is for workforce leaders ready to strengthen the region’s workforce system and expand economic opportunity for workers, employers, and communities.
Applications are due Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Up to 24 Fellows working in Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Santa Cruz, and Yuma counties will be selected through a competitive application process.
CFA research has found that jobs and economic opportunity are shared priorities for Arizonans. A strong workforce development system helps advance them by preparing people for good jobs and career growth while helping employers find skilled workers. These outcomes are shaped by organizations across education and training, business, government, and community sectors. The Academy gives regional leaders dedicated time to collaborate, build on existing work, and develop strategies that respond to local needs.
“Arizona’s economic future depends on a workforce system that helps people prepare for good jobs and advance their careers while meeting employers’ changing talent needs. Southern Arizona has leaders with the insight and commitment to strengthen that system. The Academy gives them an opportunity to build on what is working, align efforts around regional priorities, and develop innovative strategies that expand opportunity across the region,” said Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President & CEO of Center for the Future of Arizona.
Fellows learn from leading practitioners in Arizona and across the country, draw on CFA research and data tools, including the Arizona Progress Meters, and apply systems-change and racial-equity frameworks to consider who current approaches reach and where barriers remain. Through cross-sector team projects, Fellows turn those insights into practical recommendations for the region.
The Academy combines facilitated learning, workshops, peer exchange, and cooperative projects. Fellows meet through collaborative labs, or CoLabs, with in-person convenings in Tucson and most sessions and CoLabs held online. After completing the Academy, Fellows join the Aspen Institute’s Economic Opportunity Fellows Network.
“We at Pima Community College are proud to partner with the Aspen Institute and Center for the Future of Arizona to welcome the third cohort of the Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy. This Academy brings together leaders who are committed to strengthening workforce development across our region and expanding economic opportunity for Southern Arizona communities. I am grateful to the members of our advisory council for their leadership, guidance, and continued support in helping Fellows grow as workforce leaders and changemakers.” Dr. Ian Roark, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Pima Community College.
The fellowship is designed for senior-level managers and other leaders who work in Southern Arizona’s workforce ecosystem and can influence change within their organizations and communities. Applicants may work in workforce development, education and training, business, government, nonprofit, economic development, philanthropy, or related fields. Applicants must have their organization’s support to participate.
The 2027 Academy is CFA’s third Southern Arizona cohort, building on the 2023 and 2025 cohorts and the 2021-22 Greater Phoenix Academy. Fellows from these programs have brought lasting value to Arizona by turning local insight into practical recommendations and initiatives.
The Academy will be led locally by Holly Kurtz, Workforce Development Director at Center for the Future of Arizona, Amanda Abens, MC, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development, Workforce Development and Innovation at Pima Community College, with guidance from a local Advisory Council of esteemed leaders.
2027 Advisory Council to the Southern Arizona Workforce Leadership Academy
- Maria Ahumada, Deputy Administrator, Workforce Development Administration, Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services, Department of Economic Security
- Aaron Ball, Vice President to Advance Education Policy, Southern Leadership Council
- Skylie Estep, Human Resources Director of America/North America, South32
- Michael Guymon, Chief Advocacy Officer, The Chamber of Southern Arizona
- Melissa Hernandez, Associate Vice President, Cradle to Career Partnership, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
- Mignonne Hollis, Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation
- Krista McGarvey, Business Operations Manager, Southern Region, Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity
- Kathy Prather, Superintendent, Pima JTED
- Ian Roark, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Pima Community College
Interested applicants can learn more about the Academy and attend a free informational webinar on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, at 11 a.m. or Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Register, review application details, and apply at arizonafuture.org/wla27.